Outside opportunity leads to massive College of Science project

Whenever faculty in the Purdue University College of Science get the chance to push students outside the classroom, they seize it. Still, waiting will be a key part of a massive collaboration PFW is starting with Michelin North America's BF Goodrich Plant, located at 18906 Old 24 E. Rd.

Opened in 1961, the 1.9 million-square-foot factory employs around 1,500 people to produce car and light truck tires. The factory is located on 40 acres of a 500-acre property near Woodburn, which is where PFW is getting involved.

Factory representatives recently reached out to Sean Ryan, PFW's director of the Office of Engagement, who helps local businesses interact with university resources. In this instance, BF Goodrich wanted more information about the site's potential ecological opportunities, so Ryan connected them with Bruce Kingsbury, director of the university's Waterfield Environmental Resources Center in the College of Science. One of the university's 15 Centers of Excellence, the ERC is dedicated to promoting the understanding and conservation of the region's natural resources through scientific research and educational programs.

In an attempt to become more environmentally responsible, Michelin North America has proposed a three-phase project at the plant, which it hopes to complete by 2034. Many areas of the College of Science will be involved in the first and third phases.

As Kingsbury explained, work has already started on the first phase, which involves baseline surveying of plants, animals, and habitats in the area. Scott Bergeson, associate professor of biology, has already been at the site to record wildlife, using a sound recorder to acoustically monitor various species of birds, bats, and frogs.

Kingsbury said he'd also like to include Jordan Marshall, professor of biology and plant biologist, along with some of his students, to conduct vegetative studies. What kind of trees, shrubs, and other plants are there now?

"This could give us a lot of opportunities we could share with students," Kingsbury said. "This is the kind of thing where we take the students away from the theoretical to actually applying what they are learning about."

Once the surveys are completed, the project's second phase will be to develop projects that could enhance environmental protection and sustainability in the area.

"A couple of examples would be maybe restoring wetlands that were drained for farming," Kingsbury said. "Another example could be handling runoff from the roof of the facility and parking lots, and developing projects to let the water percolate down into the ground rather than to the water processing facility."

Kingsbury said factory officials are also interested in installing solar arrays and creating pollinator gardens for bees, wasps, and butterflies. Professors can also suggest projects the factory may consider.

The third phase would give professors and students the opportunity to monitor the impact of the second-phase projects.

"In a couple of years from now, we may be able to incorporate our classes more into this area," Kingsbury said. "We could get our students out there to do some inventory work and watch it year after year to see what happens. Developing these kinds of projects, relationships, and collaborations should all be good for the university.

"This could be a helpful transformation for a big company in this area that we are all-in on."